Fruit grading or sizing machine.



1. 0. BLACK. FRUIT GRADING-OR SIZING MACH-INE- APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, 1917- Patentd Nov; 6,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I PatentedNov. 6, I917.

3 SHEETSSHEEI Z- I. D. BLACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 7. WI?- FRUIT GRADING 0R SIZING MACHINE.

J. D. BLACK. mun. GRADlNG OR SIZING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-7,1917.

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

Jone n new, n mourn csmr ama,

FRUIT esam 0R sumo m sme- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. BLACK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Redlandis, in the county of San Bernardino, State of California, have invented a new and useful Fruit Grading or Sizing Machine; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a novel type of structure of machine, designed primarily for asserting and grading, or sizing fruit, but is advantageously capable for separating and sizing or grading other products and commodities according to the bulk and Weight thereof.

()ne of the objects of the invention is to provide asimple; efiective and practical machine "of this kind, whereby the-fruit or the like may be separatedaecording to the size thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an endless conveyor having fruit holding rollers, and means whereby every other roller may be automatically moved, according to the size of the fruit, whereby the fruit may drop between the rollers onto dif 'fe'rent conveyors, which are designed for difierent sized fruits;

A further object of the. invention is to provide carriages for =eaid ro1lers,- there bein'g'op gosing shots in the carria'ges,the slots in-eae carriage: to. receive a roller, and means 'havin connections with the roller in eai' Islets "and adapted to be. actuatedhy means'in thefrnit path, whereby the differentsizes offruit may lie-separated. r -A further object of the invention is to provide-means on each carriage lto prerent ruising of the fruit, in case the should tend to climb the roller front.

In practical fields, the details of con-- structioh may necessitate alterations falling withint the scope of what is claimed.

' The invientinn'eemprises further features and ccmbinatinn o f parts, as hereinafter set ibnth,eho n in the dmwing samed- Figured is'=a 'plan wewpf the i*mpecved machine fm' fiizqngthe'i mh "Ftgvfi is a wwn mfleelevat hn ii the r i tlqn EH9" at nt Application fled larchi', 19517.

Patented Nov:- 6, 191 71 serial no; mauve.

Ei 3 is a longitudinal sectionalvi-ew on line '3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View on line of Fig. 5 is a detail View of one of the carr-l ages. Referring more especially to the draw ngs, 1 designates a base, and 2 a frame rismg upwardly therefrom. This frame is rectangular, and mounted in hearings 3 of the opposite ends ot the frame are the shafts 4 and 5 provided with the sprockets 6 and 7', about which the sprocket chains 8 engage. To the inner faces of the Vertical 11 right parts 9 of the frame, tracks 10 and 1 are secured. These tracks are angular in cross section, as shown, and on the parts 12 of which the chains s'eng'age. Carried by the opposite chains are the carriages 18, which are spaced apart, as shown. Each carria e consists of a frame comprising the Si e pieces 14, which are connected by the trans- Verse piece 15. Extending rearw ardly from each piece 15 is an inclined plate 16, which is braced by the end members 17. The rear portions bf the members 17 are extended and have slots 18 forthe reception of the pin tles 19. of the roller 2.0. The pintles 19 of the roller 20 are'h-eld-in the near upper portions of the slots, 18 by means 0% the springs =21, which are carried onthe inner feces" of said end members 1?! Mounted "in hearings of the side pieces. 14 oi each carriage are the pintles of the. ficrward roller 83, which h'as the. flengedends @4, which engage and roll upon the surfaces 25 of; the tracks 10 and 11, Thepint lesfifi form parts of theqsha-ft 26, which-extend through the roller 23 s that said roller may retatecn the shaft, as

the carniages move forwardly. The piatles Q2 gar-re secured to the chains 8, as shown The side pieces it of each carriage, near their ether ends, here elongated slets' 3E8,

311 to" which, as at 3%,:the lcng' 'a-nng dfid'f bell "crank dewpre: 3mm connected: i lie clianlilflvei s '83: p voted-ch35,

eels em n,

ing a forward roller and a rear slidablymounted roller, automatically slidable with cally adjusting the salne, according to the i size of the fruit passed between the rear sliding roller and theforward roller of the succeeding carriage, and means yieldably mounted-on the'carriage to prevent bruising of the fruit as it deposits on therollers' of thecarriages. I i

:6. In a fruit-sizing and separating ma:

chine, an endless conveyer, a plurality of carriages carried thereby, each carriage havrespectto the forward rollers of the succeede uafliil patent may be obtained for I vidually adjustable for means of the respective carriages according ing carriage, and means'designedtto be depressed and having yieldable connections with the rear slidable roller for automaticallyradjusting the same, according to the size of the fruit passed between the rear sliding roller and the forward roller of the succeeding carriage, means yieldably mount edon the carriage to prevent bruisingof the a, fruit as it deposits on the rollers of the car-' riages, and a plurality of members indiactuating said to thedifierent sizes of the fruit.

'Z. In a fruit sizing and separating machine, aframe, a conveyer mounted thereon a plurality of carriages on ,"con'veyel' each carriage'having'a forward. roller an r a rear slidable mounted'roller, automatically slidable with respect to the forward roller of the succeeding carriage, a track forthe chains I of the" conveyer and for said rollers, bell crank levers pivotally mounted upon the sides of the carriages and having yieldable connections. with the .slidable rollers,

spring means for the bell crank levers, a

pluralitj of members arranged in pairs, each palr being individually adjustable for actuating said bell crank levers against thuac tion of thespring means, whereby the sliding roller of each carnagemay au'tomati call? adjust with respect to the forward roller: of the succeeding carriage according to the size'of the fruit to pass between said rollers, a plurality of conveyers for carrying the fruit to one side according to the difl'erent sizes thereof.

In testimony whereof II havesigned'my name to this specification in the two subscribing witnesses. I

Q OHN D. BLACK,

. Witnesses: p p CATHARINE CREESAN, EARL D. FING five cent: each, by addressing 'the "'Oommluloner of Patents, wlshlngtomnfll, a i i presence of 1 

